Cassie Sainsbury Claims She Was 'Forced' To Act As Drug Mule

The 22-year-old claims a drug syndicate threatened to hurt her family.

Accused cocaine trafficker Cassie Sainsbury now claims she was forced to act as a drug mule after an international drug syndicate threatened to hurt her family, according to her lawyers.

The new claims appear to contradict her original story, in which the 22-year-old claimed she was unknowingly set up by a man who gave her a box of 15 headphones as gifts for her bridal party, but instead contained kilograms of cocaine.

According to a statement of facts lodged to the Federal Court of Australia by the 22-year-old's lawyers, Cassie "has fallen victim to an international drug trafficking syndicate" which "threatened her life and the life of her family".

The statement was provided as part of an injunction hearing, in which lawyers attempted to halt the airing of an interview with Sainsbury's fiance Scott Broadbridge on Seven's Sunday Night.

Lawyer Orlando Herran told Nine's 60 Minutes that she had fallen on hard times financially after the closure of her gym business, and responded to an advertisement on Craigslist.

The offer was for a trip to London, and a cash payment, but the destination was changed to Bogata, where she and her family were threatened if she didn't go through with the plan.

"If you don't fly, then we will kill your family or you," Herran said, relaying the conversation.

Sainsbury remains confined to the Bogata womens' prison. If convicted, she faces a minimum jail term of 21 years and four months. However her lawyer Orlando Herran says this is nothing more than "a silly mistake".